BENGALURU: Congress MLC M Narayanaswamy demanded that stone quarrying near Kempegowda International Airport be restarted despite airport authorities objecting to it.
He raised the issue in the House on Friday and said quarrying at Betta Halasuru was stopped in 2011. The then Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner recommended that mining could be restarted if explosives would not be used.
“Even then, mining has not started. Many families were dependent on mining activities for a livelihood,” he said.
To his query, Vinayak Kulkarni, Minister of Mines and Geology, said airport authorities had objected to mining saying that that blasting and stone crushing activities have increased within a 10km radius of the airport.
Dust from stone blasting reduces visibility and affects flight operations, he added.
Vinayak also pointed out that craters that have formed from mining activities have put human lives at risk. “It is therefore necessary to shut the mining,” he said.
However, Narayanaswamy insisted that operations be restarted to which Kulakarni said officials will conduct inspections.